Six stretches of sand, and they sit at opposite ends of the county. Three of them face the Mournes from the south. Cranfield is the most southerly beach in Northern Ireland, a Blue Flag arc of sand and shingle at the mouth of Carlingford Lough with the 1824 Haulbowline Lighthouse offshore. Tyrella is two flat kilometres at the head of Dundrum Bay, backed by 25 hectares of protected dunes, with St John’s Point lighthouse coming into view if you walk west to east. Ballykinler, further along the Lecale coast, is really a walk rather than a beach day: the Lecale Way is the reason to go.
The other three belong to Belfast Lough and the Ards shore, and they are the easy ones. Helen’s Bay is backed by the woods and meadows of Crawfordsburn Country Park, with the coastal path running on to the Edwardian guns of Grey Point Fort. Ballyholme gives 1.3 km of sand and promenade on the eastern edge of Bangor, with the yacht club at the western end. Millisle Beach Park has the tidal lagoon that refills with clean seawater on every high tide, which is why it is the one to pick with toddlers.
Two practical notes. Cranfield lends all-terrain wheelchairs and mobility aids free through the Mae Murray Foundation. Tyrella is the only beach here with summer lifeguards, and Millisle has none at all.
A 1.3 km curve of sand and promenade on the eastern edge of Bangor, sheltered enough for a casual swim and busy with walkers.
The most southerly beach in Northern Ireland, a Blue Flag arc at the mouth of Carlingford Lough that lends all-terrain wheelchairs free.
Sheltered, Green Coast-awarded sand backed by Crawfordsburn Country Park, and the only beach here you can reach from Belfast on a 22-minute train.
Two flat kilometres of sand at the head of Dundrum Bay, Blue Flag and Green Coast, with summer lifeguards and the Mournes straight ahead.
A quiet Lecale village whose beaches and coastal walk are the draw; the Abercorn Barracks behind them are live MOD land and closed.
6 of 6 shown — tap a pin for the place.
Bangor, down
Ballyholme Beach is 1.3 km of sand and promenade on the eastern edge of Bangor, sheltered enough for casual swimming and popular with walkers. Ballyholme Yacht Club sits at the western end, and the bay itself was used to rehearse amphibious landings before D-Day.
Cranfield, down
The most southerly beach in Northern Ireland: a Blue Flag arc of sand and shingle at the mouth of Carlingford Lough, with the 1824 Haulbowline Lighthouse offshore and the Mournes behind. Run as an inclusive beach, it lends all-terrain wheelchairs and mobility aids free through the Mae Murray Foundation.
Helen’s Bay, down
A sheltered, Green Coast-awarded beach on Belfast Lough, backed by the woods and meadows of Crawfordsburn Country Park. Walk the coastal path to the Edwardian guns of Grey Point Fort, or come out on the direct 22-minute train from Belfast for the day.
Dundrum, down
Tyrella is a flat, two-kilometre sweep of sand at the head of Dundrum Bay, backed by 25 hectares of protected dunes and looking straight at the Mourne Mountains. It's a Blue Flag and Green Coast beach with summer lifeguards; walk west to east and St John's Point lighthouse comes into view at the far end.
Ballykinler, down
Millisle, down
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